And out in public. Sort of.

[JulieC]

So, follow on to the thread I started a while back called "struggles"

AngelaYVR, I was thinking of you this morning and your "Less thinking, more doing" statement in that thread.

I have today off, so of course I wanted to do some crossdressing. I decided to go to a nearby state park. I wasn't all girl'd up, but I did do something that's big for me anyway. Ok, small potatoes for many of you, but big for me. I was in drab, but I wore compression pantyhose underneath my shorts with no socks, just shoes. I unfortunately get edema, and need to wear compression socks/pantyhose most of the time. I can get away with not wearing them for a half day or so, but not much longer. Anyway, the compression pantyhose are semi-sheer, about halfway to opaque. I hiked for ~5 miles like that, running into a number of people. I interacted with everyone. Each time, the little adrenaline rush was a little less. The first time was two guys, about my age. That one concerned me the most. We exchanged good mornings, and kept going our ways.

Ok so not dressed in a feminine way, but with pantyhose (if not very sheer) on display. That's a first for me, and a step forward. For me, that's big.

Thanks everyone :)

[kimdl93]

A five mile walk was an achievement in itself. Good for you!

[Karren H]

No sort of about it, you were out in public. Congratulations!

[Helen_Highwater]

I said this to another member recently that we all start our journey somewhere. This is your starting point. I'm sure more will follow.

[Jessax101]

Well that?s pretty cool! I had to look up what compression panty hoses were, and now I understand that the hose were showing outside your shorts. It?s a good. Step.

[Heather76]

We all start our journey with a first step. This was your first step and will help build confidence. My first step was wearing a lace bralette. Then I added A/B cup silicone inserts. Then I wore them to doctor appointments. Then I added DD cup forms when driving and left them in when filling up at a gas station. You will slowly progress and, like me, will hopefully one day find the courage to go all out and presnt Julie to the public. I know Heather is hoping to do that one day.

[JulieC]

kimdl93; 5 miles was pretty good, true. I'm doing it to help lose weight (and it's working). I walk about 120 miles a month, so 4 miles a day is common.

Karren: Thanks :) Still, the compression pantyhose could be passed off as something a guy might wear. It wasn't distinctly, unquestionably feminine. Still... :)

Heather: So I did follow it up. When my wife got home last evening, she decided she wanted to go to a store...2+ hours away! Ok, we haven't done that in a long while so gas prices be damned, we headed off. As we were getting ready to leave and head back home, I put on some pumps to drive the trip. I realized after we'd been on the road for half an hour we were going to need gas. So, I pumped gas in pumps.

Everyone: Thank you :)

[Geena75]

Good for YOU! You're wearing what you like so enjoy it! I see people all the time wearing clothes that are supposed to make a statement, but look less than comfortable. We wear what makes us feel good. In a way it's good we pile up our dreads and fears when we first dare to venture out. When you expect the worst, it is bound to be better than that. On the other hand, don't let your fears stop you from enjoying an experience that you want to have. Given how I look, there is no way I should ever venture out where anyone might see me, yet I have done it (perhaps against my better judgement).

[susanmichelle]

I wouldn?t worry in the least about the compression hosiery since I personally know of at least 4 plus I?m supposed to wear them myself. I have swelling issues from time to time but have also found that legs support hosiery works almost as well. Besides the hospital type prescribed to me are terrible to get on almost need help with them and the other is the cost of $40-50.00 a pair. I can get legs or another brand that works well for anywhere from $5. Up to 8.00 a pair. Legs are around $7.50 for 2 pair. Lucky thing is they are still around. Getting harder to find locally since few gg?s wear them anymore.

[Debbie Denier]

Thats brilliant Julie. Every small step is a giant step. You realise that and it is always positive because it is all relative to you . Congratulations, if it makes you feel better thats what it is all about.

[bre]

Thanks. JulieC, for the encouragement to us who are not particularly out in public (yet). Debbie is right, "Every small step is a giant step."

Currently, I wear my big-girl panties everyday and my wife approves; partially because when I buy for me, I often buy for her also. We will be going grocery shopping today wearing matching Cacique panties; just our little secret.

The farthest I have been in public was a few years ago when I participated in a "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event. Going to Payless for 13W pumps was my first face-to-face experience with a sales associate to whom I had actually stated the item was for me. That also was the first time that I learned most SAs are cool with it if the customer is cool about it.

[JulieC]

So I went again today, to the same park. This time I was with my wonderful wife. I was wearing the same black compression pantyhose.

We did two more trails in the park. We only encountered one person on a trail; it was a middle aged woman. I caught her looking at my legs as I walked by. Various bits of sarcasm welled up inside my head, but I restrained myself :)

Bre; yeah I think these days most sales associates don't really care. Times have changed!

susanmichelle: Yeah, you're right about the L'eggs support hosiery. I'm just not sure (good excuse to buy and try) if they would provide enough compression. The key thing with medical compression hosiery is the graduated compression; very tight at the ankles, and less and less tight the further up they go. I don't think any non-medical pantyhose really do that. Worth a try though. The compression pantyhose I'm wearing now cost $33. If I try to buy something similar at my local pharmacy, it's north of $80 a pair. Not paying that!

[nancy58]

One step at a time. You did just great on Friday. What really impressed me, though, is that your wife accompanied you today. I would love for my wife to go with me on an outing and also knowing I was wearing women's clothes. A funny thing about me, though, is that I feel like I would look stranger without my wig than I do when I'm wearing it, so I don't think I could do what you did.

As for looks from other people, the battle is convincing oneself that the second glances or raised eyebrows, if they occur, are of any importance. We own our own feelings, and we can't control the feelings of others. I still struggle with that. When I picked up my size 12 pumps from the repair shop a few weeks ago, I was dressed in drab, and a part of my brain was fretting that the guy ringing me up might have some opinion about it; never mind that we would probably never see each other anywhere else, and the bottom line is that he received $15 cash and my heels were fixed.

[Marissa Q]

Wow. I'd call that a major milestone, JulieC. Congratulations! I, too, recall AngelaYVR's comment about "Less thinking, more doing", and it's so good to recognize that even a few words by a friend can change lives.
Congrats again, hon. You just went full awesome.

[DianeT]

When I was a child I remember that men working at the office in the 70s often wore very thin nylon socks that could not be distinguished from opaque pantyhose. If the women you encountered was old, she probably knows that. So maybe you simply reminded her of her young years!

[Leslie Mary S]

I know compared to many of you this is nothing. I have spent the last 50 hours en fem. Shoes, Black patter fishnet pantyhose, miniskirt, Bra with "D" forms, short sleeved blouse, and on the second day, NO wig (Just my shoulder length white hair). jewelry and light make up, At bed time I slept in a red lacy baby doll but no teddy bear. Have a 4 hr interruption in this routine tomorrow. Have to deal with some non-accepting people.

[Linda K.]

This is how I started with going out in public. I would go grocery shopping wearing knee-high's and white socks over them. I also wore gym shoes. I then progressed to panties and pantyhose but still wearing white socks over them. Finally I decided to ditch the white socks, like you did, and went shopping like that. Yes, there was adrenaline while there. I wasn't worried that someone was intentionally looking at my shoes and seeing the pantyhose on my ankles but thought someone would see it out of the corner of their eye and then look at it more closely. I don't think anyone did. It was exciting and gave me a bit more confidence to go further. I started dressing up at night and I took a drive in my car. Nowhere special, I just wanted to be out and about as Linda. I parked in the parking lot at work and got out and walked around there. It felt so great!!! Next thing I know, I am going for a makeover!! This is a good start for you and I hope you are one day able to step outside fully dressed as Julie!! Congrats!!!

[Leslie Mary S]

AH, that fabulous first Makeover at a Brick and mortar big store. Mine was at the Clique counter in Macy's, went fully en fem dressed. You can do it again but, it never is again THE FIRST TIME.
Or that fist Manicure and pedicure at the nail salon.

[TAG]

We all started somewhere.
Good for you.
A 5 mile hike would wear me out.

[suzanne]

Good for you! No matter how small you may thin your achievement, you're breaking down your barriers, and everyone has their own version of that first step. Keep it up.

Going forward, you might want to pay attention to how real women dress themselves for various activities. For a five mile hike, a woman usually chooses hiking shoes or good sneakers. But you can certainly pair that with leggings and a nice top.

[JulieC]

Going forward, you might want to pay attention to how real women dress themselves for various activities. For a five mile hike, a woman usually chooses hiking shoes or good sneakers. But you can certainly pair that with leggings and a nice top.

True. For me, crossdressing doesn't feel like crossdressing unless I'm in a skirt/dress. You don't see women going on a five mile hike in a skirt or dress :)